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Memorialization Of Children In War In Serbia, Bosnia And Herzegovina, And Kosovo, Ana Gvozdic

International Studies Honors Projects

Can remembering the tragic fate of children in war help overcome the divisive narratives of the past in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo? This paper addresses this question by examining efforts to commemorate children in war in these countries through monuments, exhibitions, and other creative formats, including a video and a theatrical performance. Based on in-depth, qualitative interviews with civil society representatives behind these initiatives, and those familiar with them, I argue that efforts to commemorate children in war can both consolidate and challenge divisive victimization narratives. When memorialization efforts go beyond victimization, their emphasis on children in war …